May 27 practice quotes: Anze Kopitar

On the team’s mood after the Game 6 loss:
“The mood’s good. We certainly realize that we did let one get away from us last night, but that’s why we won the last game of the season, right? To come back here. The way this series has been going, I guess the odds are on our side. But we realize it’s going to be a hard game, and anything can happen in Game 7.

On why the team hasn’t experienced any level of road success this year, compared to last year:
“I don’t know what the reason is. But we’re going to have to do it on the road eventually. Now we have the chance to come home and close the series and win the series. We’ll worry about road games as we go on.”

On whether there’s any different feeling with the season on the line:
“No. I mean, it’s my first Game 7. I don’t think it’s going to be anything different. I mean, we’ve faced elimination before and we didn’t get the job done. Now it’s tied. We’re at home, and it’s going to be our building, our fans, and I don’t think we need a whole lot more motivation to have a good start and get going.”

On being injured and watching the 2011 Los Angeles-San Jose series:
“I think watching it was even harder, because you can’t do a whole lot to help the team, except for kind of being there and trying to lift the spirits up after a tough loss or a whatever the case may be. What’s going to happen tomorrow, we’ll see, but we want to make sure we leave everything out there and give ourselves the best chance to win.”

On his location during the handshake line of the 2011 Los Angeles-San Jose series:
“I have no idea where I was. I really don’t know where I was. I don’t think it would’ve made any difference…I think I was in the locker room, waiting for the guys to come in.”

On when last year’s experience becomes a factor leading up to an elimination game:
“When? I don’t know when. I think it’s got to kick in now. I mean, we’re a confident group. We know we can get it done. We’ve done it a bunch of times already. Now it’s just a matter of going out and really performing to our standards, because let’s be honest, we haven’t done that nearly consistent enough. No better time to do it tomorrow.”

On summoning 2012’s success when pressed, and why the team can’t find it every night:
If we knew, it probably would be there every night. I don’t know. Sometimes it’s a funny game, and sometimes those guys…they have great players, and they’re going to make great plays. That’s the way it goes, and sometimes it clicks, sometimes it’s our fault, and sometimes we click. It goes back and forth.”

On whether he is able to “strip out the money and the industry” and enjoy a Game 7, similar to Canadian kids growing up and imagining themselves playing in such a game:
“Yeah. I’ve got blood under my skin just like the Canadian kids do. I don’t think it’s any different over in Europe, either. Everybody wants to be in these types of games, and you want to raise the level of play and eventually you want to be the hero in these types of games. It’s going to take a great effort tomorrow, and we’re looking forward to it.”

On who he wanted to be when he was a kid:
“I just wanted to be like my old man. He had a couple good Game 7s when he was playing for the national title. Yeah, that was good.”

On whether there’s a different vibe or feeling compared to previous playoff games:
“No. I mean, it’s another game. We realize that it’s a do-or-die game, yes, but I don’t thin kanything changes, really. You’ve got to prepare the same way. You have the same routine that I’ve been doing now for 10 years. So it’s another game, and again, you’ve got to leave it all out there.”

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